Article selection apparatus

Abstract

An article selection apparatus is disclosed having a first conveying device for conveying an article along a path and a second conveying device for receiving the article at an entrance end spaced apart by a predetermined distance from a conveying end of the first conveying device and for conveying the received article, wherein the first conveying device has a gap extending along the conveying path to the conveying end thereof, and a width of the gap is made smaller than the predetermined distance from the conveying end of the first conveying device to the entrance of the second conveying device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article-selection apparatus comprising a first conveying means for conveying an article, a second conveying means for receiving said article at an entrance end spaced apart by a predetermined distance from a conveying end of said first conveying means and for conveying the received article, a stopper for abutting against a downstream end of said article to be selected and conveyed by said second conveying means and for stopping said article, a discrimination means for discriminating a shape of said article abutted against said stopper at said downstream end thereof and for generating discriminating signals, a third conveying means having an entrance portion adjacent to said second conveying means, a pushing means for pushing said article to be selected out to said entrance portion of said third conveying means, a selection member for guiding the pushed-out article to said entrance portion of said third conveying means when said selection member is set to a first position and for guiding said pushed-out article outside of said third conveying means when said selection member is set to a second position, and a setting means for setting the position of said selection member according to said discriminating signals from said discriminating means, said first conveying means having a gap which extends along the conveying path to a conveying end thereof and said gap having a width smaller than said predetermined distance from said conveying end of said first conveying means to said entrance end of said second conveying means and said first conveying means comprising two conveying sections each of which has a conveying surface downwardly inclined to said gap. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which an arranging means for spacially arranging the article which is conveyed by the second conveying means and abutted against the stopper is provided on an upstream portion of the stopper. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the arranging means comprises a pair of guide plates. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the discrimination means comprises means for discriminating whether a length of the article from the downstream end thereof to an upstream end thereof is a predetermined length. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the upstream end of the article is pushed out by the pushing means in a state where the article is abutted at the downstream end thereof against the stopper at an initial stage of the push-out operation. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5, in which the discrimination of the length of the article from the downstream end to the upstream end by the discrimination means is conducted at the initial stage of the push-out operation by the pushing means. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which the discrimination means further comprises means for discriminating the lateral size of the article. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 5, in which the pushing means comprises a pivotal vertical shaft and a push-out member extending horizontally from the vertical shaft. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the second conveying means is a belt conveyor. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the selection member is made rotatable between the first position and the second position, and the selection member over-lays the entrance portion of the third conveying means when the selection member situates at the second position. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the selection member, serves as a stopper for preventing the pushed-out article by the pushing means to the entrance portion of the third conveying means from falling out of the entrance portion, when the selection member is set to the first position. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the selection member is moved in parallel between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of any one of claims 2-12, in which the article is formed out of synthetic resin and the apparatus is a selecting and discharging apparatus for defectively formed article. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, in which the article comprises a container pair comprising two identical containers joined together at identical openings thereof.